Campus shooting drill held at Cal State Northridge

An unidentified student at the California State University, Northridge participates with LAPD officers during a a training exercise involving a simulated shooting spree on Thursday.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Police at California State University, Northridge, have held a training exercise involving a simulated shooting spree — a scenario made more poignant and timely by last week's deadly attack at a Connecticut elementary school.

Campus police Capt. Scott Vanscoy says students helped play screaming victims in a series of 15-minute exercises from 7 a.m. to noon Thursday.

Up to 200 officers were faced with a scenario in which a shooter attacks a center for deaf students.

Police from various agencies along with California Highway Patrol officers and Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies took part in the drills, which were designed to help the agencies work together in emergencies.

The annual exercise was planned months ago. Vanscoy says any lessons from the Connecticut attack will be incorporated into future training.